In British Columbia, the disastrous collapse of the sockeye salmon numbers has led to Canada’s Prime Minister calling for a judicial inquiry to examine the causes and propose solutions. One question being raised is the part played by sea lice from aquaculture operations.
http://asf.ca/news.php?id=464

The inquiry will be led by BC Supreme Court Justice Bruce Cohen
http://asf.ca/news.php?id=474

The Atlantic Salmon Federation presented its highest conservation award to Ray B. (Bucky) Owen of Maine at a dinner of our Board of Directors in New York last week. He has long worked for the protection of Maine’s rivers and forests, and for the restoration of Atlantic salmon and other species. Read more in an article in the Maine Outdoor Journal:
http://asf.ca/news.php?id=473

A photo of Bucky Owen receiving the award from Joan Wulff and Richard Warren is on the front page of ASF’s website: http://asf.ca

An act of vandalism on a small Nova Scotia Atlantic salmon river has angered residents and generated strong condemnation from the community. An ASF affiliate, the Sackville Rivers Association, has worked hard for more than a generation to restore the river. The story garnered national attention in the Globe and Mail:
http://asf.ca/news.php?id=472

Eric

11-22-2009, 10:55 PM

In regards to the B.C. sockeye returns, there was a pathetic return of fall Chinook to middle and northern Oregon coastal rivers this year. No one can explain definitely why this occured, although some asperions were cast towards Canadian and Alaskan commericial fisheries. I don't think there's a correlation: that is, I don't think the commercial fishers, lacking sockeye, would then target chinook, as I understand the two species are fished for with very different gear [tell me if I'm wrong on this].

Also, I can't see that the intensity of fishing would have increased over the last two years to the point where, while we had adequate runs of Chinook in 2007 and 2008, there were nil in 2009. The trollers fishing off the west coast of Vancouver Island intercept a lot of Oregon-bound Chinook, but, again, I don't think the effort has intensified this summer. Something else must be going on.